Line-casting machine.



J. MGNAMARA.

LINE CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. so, 1909,

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES /ffw ANDREW GRAHAM co. Pncnamncanmius. wAsmNBTDM. u c

J. MGNAMARA.

LINE CASTING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED MR.3o,19o94 Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WIT/VESSES ANDFEW B asn/wlw. en Puma-umoawsusm wAsmNmoN. o c

J. MONAMARA.

LINE CASTING MACHINE APyLIoATIoN FILED APR. so, 1909.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

UNIE STATS nrnrir orrtt- JAMES IMCNAIVIARA, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, ASSIG-NOR TO MERGENTI-IALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LINE-CASTING- MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led April 3G, 1909.

Patented Mar. 8, 19M).

Serial No. 493,122.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES MCNAMARA, a citizen of the United States, residing in Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Line-Casting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of line casting machines commonly known under the trade name Monoline and represented as to their general organization in Letters Patent of the United States to Scudder No. 605,141. rIhese machines contain a series of vertical matrices each bearing in one edge a number of characters, and coinmonly known in the art as multiple letter matrices rIhe matrices are held in a series of parallel magazine channels. Finger keys, representing the various characters and spaces, are each connected with means for releasing matrices bearing the corresponding characters from one channel of the magazine, and also connected with devices which arrest the descending matrices at one height or another, to bring the designated characters to the alining level. Several keys actuate a common device to arrest matrices from all the channels, and different keys release matrices from the same channel, according to the character demanded. The connections are such that a particular key will release matrices from one channel only, and will actuate only the arresting device which corresponds to the designated character. Heretofore these machines have been provided with matrices carrying only the characters of one font-usually eight groups or styles of matrices with twelve characters in each matrix.

The object of my invention is to adapt the machine, without increasing the number of finger keys, to carry one or more additional fonts of matrices with characters differing in size or style from those of the first font. To this end I provide one or more additional sets or fonts of matrices similar to the first except as to the size or style of the characters. I construct the magazine with additional channels suicient to carry the additional groups of matrices. l/Vhen two fonts are used I arrange the matrices of one font in the alternate channels of the maga-- zine and the matrices of the other font in the remaining or intermediate channels. If

three fonts are employed I devote three adjoining channels of the magazine to the first matrices of the respective fonts, the next three channels to the second three matrices of the respective fonts, and so on repeatedly. I connect the matrix arresting devices, which determine their height in the line, permanently with the finger keys as heretofore. Instead, however, of arranging each finger key to control a single matrix releasing device, I now make the intermediate dogs of such width that each finger key will control one releasing device of each font, so that if there were nothing to prevent, the operation of one key would be followed by the release of similar matrices of all the fonts. These connections are maintained at all times and there are no shifting or changing connections of any kind between the finger keys and the matrix releasing devices.

In order to secure the release of a single matrix of a given font at each action of the key, I provide means by which the releasing devices of the other font or fonts may be locked out of action and prevented from responding to the action of the finger key. This locking mechanism is s0 constructed that the releasing devices of all but one font of matrices may be held out of action at will, while the others are permitted to operate. It will be seen that I am thus enabled without increasing the size of the keyboard, without changing the character of the magazine, and without changing the connections between the finger keys and the releasing or valining devices, to eect the delivery of matrices from any font at will to the exclusion of the others.

lVith the exceptions hereinafter specified the machine may be in all respects like that in the patent above referred to, or of any similar construction.

In the drawings: Figure l represents a vertical section from front to rear of a monoline machine with my improvements incorporated therein for controlling three fonts of matrices. Fig. la is a sectional view showing the manner in which one detent controls three matrix releasing devices. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan on the line 2 2 looking in a downward direction, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing an equivalent arrangement for controlling two fonts of matrices. Fig. 1l is a side elevation of the same. F 1g. 5 is a plan view of an alternative arrangement for cont-rolling three fonts of matrices. Fig. G is a front elevation showing two fonts of matrices, the matrices of the respective fonts being interspaced or alternated in arrangement.

Referring to Figs. l, 1L and 2, A, A, represent a series of matrices standing edge to edge in one of the magazine channels and supported by an underlying plate forming the bottom of the channel. 'lhe matrices are fed forward and delivered in the order quired by the horizontally reciprocating delivery gate 13 which at its front end 1d forms a support for the foremost matrix. The gate is provided at the rear end with an u pright linger 15 which pushes the matrices forward toward the delivery point; an additional matrix being admitted to the channel each time that the gate 13 is retracted. lVhen the gate is retracted its forward end 1l passes from under the foremost matrix and permits it to descend into the matrix receiving chamber, preparatory to its being carried laterally to the end of the line in the course of composition.

The gate 13 is one of the matrix releasing devices heretofore referred to. 1t will be understood that there are a seri-es of these gates, one in each of the parallel magazine channels. Each of the delivery gates 13 is connected to a spring 1G by which it is moved quickly backward when released. rllhe gate is held forward, in the position shown in Fig. 1, by a latch 1S engaging a lug 19 on the under side of the gate. 'l`he latch is pivoted midway of its length and acted upon by a spring 1'1"rl by which it is caused to engage the gate.

The latch 1S is acted upon by one end of an angular lever 2O connected by a link 20h to a crossbar 20C which is in turn acted upon by a linger key lever l, so that whenever a linger key is depressed the latch 1S is disengaged. Heretofore each latch has been adapted to engage and hold a single delivery gate 13. ln carrying my invention into effeet 1 use the saine number of latches as heretofore, and maintain the ordinary connection between the latch and the linger key, but I widen the rear end of the latch horizontally so that it may engage and hold more than one of the delivery gates 13. lf there are three fonts in the machine the latch will, as shown in Fig. 1, be wide enough to engage three of the delivery gates, one of each font. These adjacent gates will control the delivery of similar matrices from the different fonts; that is to say matrices bearing like characters but in different sizes or forms. )is two or more gates are controlled by one latch they are all released by the action of the finger key, and unless provision were made to the contrary the result would be the delivery of matrices of different fonts at one time. 1 therefore provide means for locking out of action all but one of the delivery gates controlled b v each key and latch, so that although the latch may be operated to release three gates the locking device will prevent all but one from moving, and consequently prevent the release of more than one matrix. llhis locking mechanism may be made in various forms. ln the form shown in lfigs. 1 and .2 it consists of a transverse rockshaft li provided with three series of arms Z), Z/ and o extending therefrom in different directions, so that by rotating the shaft any set of arms may be caused to bear against lugs 13, extended downward from the delivery gates 'llhe arms of one series are differently spaced along the shaft from those of the other series, each arm being adapted to bear against the shoulders of two delivery gates 13 and hold them from moving rearward when the latch 1S is disengaged. The location of the arms along the shaft is such that when the arms l) are in action the gates for two fonts are held ont of action and the third gates permitted to operate. lVhen the arms o are in action gates controlling another font are permitted to operate and the other two series held out of action. When the arms o: are in action the third series of gates is permitted to operate, and the others locked out of action. lt will be seen that in this manner the. rotation of the shaft serves to lock positively out of action the delivery gates ot any two fonts desired, while permitting those of the remaining font to move. freely. rl`he one set of linger keys and. latches serve to actuate the deliveryY gate or releasing devices for three fonts of matrices, the gates ol' two fonts heilig, however, locked in an idle position while those of the third font are free to operate.

lWhenever a linger htv is depressed one only of the delivery gates i3 will move rearward from under a matl'i.\Y and permit it to escape from the magazine, the action in this respect being precisely the same as in the ordinary machine.

After a delivery gate is moved rearward to release a matrii; it is immediately carried forward, in order that it may be again locked by the latch 18, by a rocker-frame 23 carrying at its upper end pivoted pawls 3() to act on the rear ends of the respective gates. rthis rocker-frame, which stands noi nally in the position shown, carries an eccentri 2o' overlying a constantly rotating roll 3o mounted in fixed bearings. rl`he cam is held normally out of contact with the roll by a spring 25". wWhen the delivery gate moves rearward it throws the rocker-frame back- 'ard sul'liciently to cause the engagement of the eccentric with the roll. The eccentric is at once rotated by frictional engagement with the roll 36, the eli'ect being to rock the frame forward until it restores the delivery gate to its normal position.v These members form no part of the present invention, and operate as heretofore.

Then the matrix is released its downward movement is accelerated by a pivoted arm 22 actuated by or controlled by the delivery gate 13 as heretofore. Then a matrix is released and descends from the magazine it is arrested at one height or another, according to the character which is designated for use in the line by horizontally movable detent slides 56, These slides are acted upon by projections on the forward ends of the slides Q, cach slide having a projection to push forward one detent only. TWhen a tinger key is actuated it advances the corresponding slide to arrest the coming matrix, and at the same time disengages the latch that the delivery gate may release the matrix.

It is to be observed that the arrangement and action of the linger key mechanism upon the matrix arresting devices and the matrix releasing devices is the same as in the patented machine, my improvement residing in the adaptation of the latches to hold more than one of the delivery gates, and in the provision of means for locking gates so that only one is permitted to move at a time. The locking arms Z), b, etc. are made of such length that they move the inactive gates slightly forward in order to prevent friction between them and the latches 18.

Figs. 3 and Llrepresent a modified or equivalent mechanism for locking the inactive delivery gates. ln the form shown it adapted for a machine having only two fonts or sets of matrices, the channels and gates of the respective fonts being alternated. 1n this case the rockshaft has only one set of arms so spaced as to engage the alternate gates in a series. The shaft is movable endwise however so that the arms may be set against the alternate gates controlling either font. In this case, of course, each of the latches 18 will lock two gates only.

Fig. shows a similar device for a machine having three fonts of matrices with the delivery gates arranged in groups of three. In this case each of the fingers is of suitable width to engage and hold out of action two delivery gates, the third one in each group being free to act.

Ordinarily all fonts of matrices will contain a like number of characters, and the matrices will contain like groups of characters. ln other words, the matrices of the dii'lerent fonts will correspond except as to the size or style of 'the characters therein. il will be seen, therefore, that when the matrices of different fonts are arranged in a two font machine two adjacent matrices will bear the same characters as illustrated in Fig. C; and in a three font machine that three adjacent matrices will bear the same characters, in a substantially similar manner.

1t will of course be understood that the number of magazine channels and gates will correspond with the number of matrices employed, and that this number is variable at the will of the constructor.

The casting and distributing mechanisms may also be of the usual construction, the matrices of the various groups being of different lengths, and the distributer being enlarged or extended without change of principle to handle the increased number of groups.

rlne alternated or interspaced arrangement of the matrices belonging to the different fonts is advantageous, in that it permits a simple construction of the devices for controlling matrices of two or more fonts by a single linger-key; also in that it gives matrices of the different fonts substantially the same length of travel in their course to the composed line, thus avoiding the danger of transposition which exists in all machines where certain characters require a greater time than others in their passage to the line.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a line casting machine of the class described, the combination of two matrixreleasing gates, springs for moving them to an inactive position, a single detent for locking both gates in an active position, a finger-key to operate said detent, and means adjustable at will for locking either gate against movement when released by the detent; whereby a single linger-key is enabled to deliver matrices of one kind or another, as demanded.

2. In a line casting machine of the class described, two matrix-releasing gates, springs for moving the gates to an inactive position, a single detent for locking both gates in an active position, a device for arresting the descent of the released matrices, a linger-key connected with both the detent and the arresting device, and means adjustable at will for retaining either gate in the active position when the detent is disengaged therefrom; whereby a single lingerkey is enabled to release matrices of one kind or another as demanded, and also to arrest the descent of the released matrices.

3. In a line casting machine, plural fonts of multiple letter matrices, magazine channels having matrices of the respective fonts alternated or interspaced therein, means for delivering matrices from the respective channels, means for arresting the descent of the released matrices, finger-keys corresponding to the characters in one font of matrices, connections from each key t0 one of the arresting devices, connections from each key to plural matrix-releasing devices,

multiple letter matrices, the combination 0f two or more inaMix-releasing dexicesI` means Oil for arresting the descent the released natriees, a permanent competinn with :L devicesy and 'with t\v0 er incre 0i .sain releasing devices, and nieanfsl adji able at Ywill te leek all but ene releasing;l device ont of action; whereby one liey may he caused te relase er arrestnialiriees et ene style er another as required.

5. ln a line castingv n'lachine of the elass dese]'ih/edK7 ay channeled magazine, a ilrilnra-lity et' `gates 125 to deliver matrices freni adjacent channels 0l the magazine, a single latch 18 controlling` the several gates, and a Finger he;Y connected thereto and Operable so that the latch releases Ythe gates simultaneously, tegetner vfilh an adji'istahle device for locking an)T desired gate out el action at will.

6. ln a machine ele the class described, two tente of multiple letter inatrices ineans for releasing the Vinfliv'idual matrices of the respective fonts and arresting thein at dilferent levels, 'ingeieleys representine` the characters el" one lentn nen-shit'tahle meansl connecting said keys Willi the releasing` and alining de vicas of both fonts, and means adjustable at will iter locking' the remasing means of eitlfer lent ont el action.

ln testinieny whereof vl htafennte in): hand this 27th day el April, 1909. in the presence et tive attesti ng Witnesses.

ll'itnessee:

lssuf BA1: z rm?, lmnniN Welmers. 

